


Dance Lessons

by daisybrien



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Dancing, Drabble, F/M, Fluff, No Plot/Plotless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-06
Updated: 2015-02-06
Packaged: 2018-03-10 17:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3297959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisybrien/pseuds/daisybrien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zhu Li needs a little help remembering her dance steps. Varrick is more than happy to teach her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dance Lessons

**Author's Note:**

> For Zhurrick Week 2014

The words slip out of her mouth only when they’ve met in the middle of the wood paneled floor, their hands joining together awkwardly. The fingers of her right hand intertwine with the ones on his left, his other hand on her waist, pulling their bodies closer together. She settles a hand on his shoulder, and she stands still as a board, refusing to let him move his feet.

“I can’t dance.”

Zhu Li watches as Varrick’s smirk slowly fades from his face, his eyes widening at her words. His fingers curl in between hers, the hand on her hip tightening at the shock.

“You’re joking,” he says.

“Well I can,” she clarifies, nodding her head. She feels her glasses slide down her nose. “I mean I know tap and jazz. I think I could still do ballet. I ‘ve never learned ballroom.”

“So you’re telling me you’ve never danced with someone else before?” Varrick asks, his voicing rising. His hand leaves her hip, waving out at the vast, shining floor with his usual zeal. “Even with this amazing dance floor in my mansion, you’ve still never tried it out?”

“I’ve never had anyone to practice with.”

“That’s impossible.” 

“Never,” she clarifies, staring at him over her specs. “Not like anyone who has visited you over the years have caught my interest as much as you have.”

“Dang, Zhu Li,” Varrick says, the corners of his moustache twitching up in a smirk. “I think some of my charm is rubbing off on you.”

“Can’t help but pick up on some of your habits.”

“Well then, we should teach you before your big day!” Varrick continues, pulling her closer, and she wants to remind him that the wedding is just as big a day for him as well. Zhu Li pulls her hand away from his shoulder, pushing her glasses up her nose again before settling it back to its previous resting place. “It’s a good thing you have a great teacher here to teach you!”

She feels his fingers wiggle in between hers, his grip on her strengthening as he lifts her hand again. He seems to wiggle with energy, body moving enthusiastically with a made up rhythm he makes up in his head. He looks ridiculous.

“Alright,” Varrick says, “it should be simple enough considering you’ve danced before. We’ll do something easy, just follow my lead-”

They move at the same time, her left foot moving forward at the same time as his right, the two mirroring each other. She ends up stepping on his toe, the two of them stumbling. 

His hands stiffen, holding her up, helping her regain her balance. He lets out a chuckle, and she can’t help but laugh as well.

“Come on, Zhu Li,” Varrick says, the usual confidence in his voice tinted with the slightest hint of affection. It makes her stomach jump, a grin spreading over her face. “You can do better than that!”

She can, and she does.

She watches her feet this time, moving back to let him step forward. They step into an easy rhythm, her body following Varrick’s lead, pressing close to her as he whisks her across the dance floor. It’s not hard once she gets the motions, years of dance technique from childhood lessons flooding back to her like a dam burst in her brain, her feet moving like clockwork. 

“See, you’re a natural at this!” Varrick laughs. He pushes her out, spins her back into his arms. “Not so difficult once you get the hang of it.”

She can’t help but smile at him, his grin large and goofy, muttering a tune under his breath to keep them in time with each other. Their steps quicken, breathless in their laughter as they make their way back across the floor, the soles of their shoes squeaking and clapping against wood.

She lets out a squeak of surprise as her body is suddenly tipped towards the floor. Varrick snaps forward, forcing her to bend back into the dip, a strong arm across her back to keep her up. She stares up at him, a glint of mischief in his eyes, one corner of his moustache curved up in a cocky smile, the glow of the chandelier shining from above his head like a blurry, yellow halo.

“You seem surprised by the thing, Zhu Li,” Varrick says.

“You should warn me before doing a thing like that-”

She feels the heels of her shoes slide across the floor, her feet slipping in under Varrick’s legs. Her back hits the hardwood, knocking the breath out of her, Varrick falling on top of her.

Varrick props himself up on his hands, staring at her with wide eyes before barking a laugh. Zhu Li starts to shake, wheezing laughter coming from her throat. 

“This is why people need to wear proper shoes,” Varrick murmurs. “I’m sure we’ve scuffed the floor enough as it is, I’m going to need to call someone to fix it-“

Zhu Li winds her arms around his neck, pulling him down, pressing his lips against hers. One arm winds under her head, her hand pushing its way through his hair. The kiss is short, Varrick pulling back before she can deepen it.

“As much as I would like to keep doing the thing with you here,” Varrick says, rolling off, “I think we should get back to those lessons.”

She turns to him, the crystals of the chandelier shining above her, bright light glinting of the lenses of her glass. “Why don’t we take a break.”

“We’ve only been dancing for five minutes.”

“Seems longer,” she shrugs, flashing him a grin. “Are you opposed to taking a break?”

“I guess not,” he ponders. He starts to rise, straightening his clothes as he picks himself off the floor. He gets up with a groan, offering a hand to Zhu Li that she  
gratefully takes. He grins down at her. “Although I don’t think the middle of the dance floor would be the best place to have our break.”

“Where would you want to have it?”

“There are a couple rooms upstairs,” he hints, a hand rubbing the back of his neck. She feels the corners of her mouth upturn, her cheeks stiff.

“Sounds good,” she says. She pulls herself up, winding an arm around his waist as he leads her out of the massive dance hall. “I don’t think anyone’s cleaned the floor anyway.”

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing zhurrick can I get a hell yeah.


End file.
